The annual temporal bone course provides a week-long, comprehensive otology and neurotology experience for our PGY4 residents. This year’s event, held August 25-29, provided residents with hands-on experience and quality time with their surgical mentors.
Instructors for the course included: Andrew Drescher, MD, Nedim Durakovic, MD, Pawina Jiramongkolchai, MD, MSCI, Matthew Shew, MD, and Amit Walia, MD, MSCI. Each faculty member provided lectures and lab instruction for a variety of surgical procedures, from tympanoplasty to mastoidectomy. Residents were also able to practice cochlear implant insertions with all the major manufacturers’ products.
Course Director Jiramongkolchai attributed the course’s success to a team effort.
“We could not do this without all the faculty and vendors sharing their time and knowledge with the residents for this year’s course,” she said. “It was a huge success, with the residents progressing in their technical skills and comfort in dissection around the lateral skull base; placing cochlear implant electrodes; and drilling out the internal auditory canal through the middle fossa approach. I am already looking forward to next year’s course! “
The uniqueness of the opportunity was not lost on the fourth year residents who participated.
“This was an amazing week,” said resident Emma Watson, MD, PhD. “It’s unusual to have a whole week of limited clinical requirements where we can focus on honing our skills with drilling and middle ear surgery with close oversight from our neurotology mentors. It was also nice to meet with representatives of the cochlear implants and other tools we use in the operating room. It definitely solidified my love of otologic surgery.”
“The temporal bone course is a great part of our training at WashU Medicine,” said resident Andrew Peterson. “The week-long course provides ample drilling experience, useful didactics, and simulated procedures to ensure we are safe and effective during our otology rotation and in future practice. It’s really a testament to the resources we’re fortunate to have in our program.”